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Children’s storyOption 1If the focus of the service is on stories, there may not be a need for a separate children’sstory. The worship leader can invite children to pay special attention to the stories, andthen during the children’s time, ask them to reflect. For example:Had you ever heard any of these stories before?From the stories we heard, what do think it means to be a peacemaker?How do you think it would feel if you were asked to go to war? Or to prison?(depending on which story you choose to tell)What do you think is the hardest part about Jesus asking us to love our enemies?Option 2The children’s time would be a good opportunity to have children/youth report to the congregationon the stories they have collected, or to have a senior member of thecongregation give a first-person account. (See Story treasure hunt in Learning in Actionsection.)Option 3Over the Sundays leading up to Peace Sunday, the book Sam Martin Went to Prison (oranother of your choice) could be read aloud in instalments to the children, concluding onPeace Sunday. At the conclusion of the story the children could be invited to reflect. Makesure to read ahead and consider whether the content is appropriate for the age group youwill be addressing.Sermon and discussion seedsThis section has some suggestions, but other partsof the peace packet might provide further inspirationor challenge to the person preaching. Thesepoints might also be used as discussion starters forSunday school.See the Appendix for a sample sermon based onMatthew 5:9, 38-48 Blessed Are the Peacemakersby Edwin Epp.Our favoritecamp preacherRev. JacobFriesen with theboys. MHC JakeKrueger PhotoCollection.MidwivesThe midwives Shiphrah and Puah were amongstthe first conscientious objectors recorded in theBible. Exodus 1:15-22 tells the story of how these twomidwives received an order by the king of Egypt to kill all the Hebrew boys that wereborn. He was afraid of the slaves’ potential military power if they were to rise up againstoppression. But the midwives feared God, and they defied the king’s order.The authorities hadn’t counted on the faith of ordinary, God-fearing women. Brute powerdid not deter Puah and Shiphrah from allegiance to a higher power. In their discernmentthey surely weighed the cost, realizing that by their disobedience they might be riskingtheir own lives. Or perhaps, as they listened to the inner voice, their consciences led themto obey a higher law. At any rate, these midwives and their followers tenderly caught allchildren as they entered the world and let them live. Their defiance preserved the life ofMoses, who would later peacefully but firmly lead the slaves out of oppression. —Adaptedfrom CPT worship resource23 Resources for worship